FAQ

This vaccine is recommended by C-SNIP and required by law for dog licensing for any dog three months (12 weeks) or older. It will need to be boosted in one year.

This vaccine is recommended for any cat over three months (12 weeks). Even indoor cats should be vaccinated against the Rabies virus.

This vaccine protects your dog against some strains of kennel cough, a highly contagious cough often prevalent in areas where dogs congregate. If your dog will be at a veterinary clinic, dog park, grooming or boarding facility, this vaccination is recommended and may be required in certain situations. It will need to be boostered once a year to make sure your dog is protected.

Check out our wishlist of clinic, office and kennel supplies as well as our need for donations of professional services such as printing, graphic design, legal services, photography and other organizational consulting services.

Most dogs experience a heat cycle every 6 months. The cycle lasts about 3 weeks. Cats experience the heat cycle an average of 3 times a year, although it can occur more frequently, particularly in the spring and summer. The cycle lasts 3 weeks. If cats are bred, they are almost assured of becoming pregnant

Dogs

It's possible to spay a dog in heat, but because there is increased risk of complications during surgery, we prefer to wait until she is out of heat. This usually takes 2-3 weeks. Please talk to us if your dog is in heat and at risk of pregnancy.

Cats

Yes. There is a high risk that she will become pregnant if we wait until she is not in heat.

Each cat must arrive for surgery in their own secure cat carrier. Reinforced cardboard cat carriers are available at our office for $5 and should be purchased before the surgery date.

Topical monthly flea and tick prevention for cats. You can purchase one dose at check-in and additional doses at the counter during our office hours (applies to clients after 2016).

Check out your spay/neuter certificate carefully. At the bottom, you will see a section marked SURGERY SUMMARY that notes any additional problems we may have noticed while your pet was with us. Please see your regular veterinarian for treatment.

Community event volunteer: Pass out educational spay/neuter and pet care materials at community events and help staff C-SNIP’s table at these events.

Help staff distribute C-SNIP flyers and educational materials within targeted areas and locations in the community

Also referred to as DHPP, the canine distemper vaccine protects your dog against four common viruses including Parvo, Distemper, Parainfluenza, and Adenovirus. These are respiratory and intestinal viruses that can be life-threatening if your dog contracts them. This vaccine will need to be boosted initially in 3 – 4 weeks, then once a year.

The feline distemper vaccination protects your cat against three common viruses including Panleukopenia, Calici, and Rhinotracheitis. These are respiratory and intestinal viruses that can be life-threatening if your cat contracts them. This vaccine will need to be boostered initially in 3- 4 weeks, then once a year.

You and your friends/co-workers can help raise funds for C-SNIP! Do a Facebook fundraiser, consider donating cash from your garage or ebay sales, get your church, co-workers, or community group to plan an event to benefit C-SNIP. Planning a wedding? Consider donating to C-SNIP in lieu of guest favors.

No, C-SNIP schedules by appointment only, with the exception of feral cats. Please visit the Feral Cat page for more information.

​​​​​​C-SNIP does not declaw cats. If your cat must be declawed, we strongly recommend having the declaw procedure and the spay/neuter surgery performed at the same time at your private veterinarian.

​​​​​​If inclement weather forces C-SNIP to close, we will post notice of the closing here on our website, on Facebook and on WZZM TV13. Clients will receive individual telephone calls to reschedule surgery for their pets, once the clinic reopens.

Yes, but there is a slight, added risk with the procedure. Enlargement of the abdomen or mammary glands can interfere with the surgery and may cause some excessive bleeding. The pregnancy will be terminated at the time of surgery.

E-collars prevent your pet from licking the surgery site. If your dog or cat needs an e-collar, they can be purchased for $10.

Some employers will match all or part of an employee’s charitable donations. Contact your employer’s HR department to see if they will match your donation to C-SNIP.

Assist staff with translating written materials from English into Spanish.

Every time one more cat or dog is neutered, the problem of over-population is eased. The nearly 160,000 surgeries performed by C-SNIP have prevented the birth of puppies and kittens with little chance of survival, much less placement in a safe and caring home. It is difficult to measure C-SNIP's specific regional impact since our service is used by caretakers from all over Michigan.

Celebrations are a wonderful reason to honor that special someone with a tribute gift to C-SNIP. Or honor the memory of a loved one or a beloved pet with a memorial gift to C-SNIP. Let us know of your tribute gift and we will send a note to your honoree or designated person notifying them know of your tribute. The tax receipt will come to you with our thanks.

​​​​​​You can schedule an appointment by calling or stopping by the office Monday - Friday between 9:00am - 3:30pm. Our phone number is (616) 455-8220 and we are located at 1675 Viewpond Drive SE in Kentwood. We also accept online appointment requests.

​​​​​​C-SNIP's primary focus is to proactively prevent and alleviate overpopulation by spaying and neutering dogs and cats. We do not offer rescue, adoption, or sheltering service.

​​​​​We ask that your pet be at least 2 months and 2 healthy pounds.

Need to schedule an appointment right away? Come to our office at 1675 Viewpond Drive SE, Kentwood, Michigan between 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM Monday through Friday, and we will be happy to assist you.

No, vaccinations are not required to perform spay/neuter surgery. However, if your pet is current on its vaccinations, it is the best protection against infectious disease. C-SNIP encourages regular veterinary care for every pet so they have the best chance for a long and healthful life

Paper Towels

Fleece (bath towel size or larger)

High-Efficiency Liquid Laundry detergent

Dryer Sheets

Toilet paper

Bleach

Distilled water

Hard Plastic Cat Carriers (new or gently used)

Live Traps (large)

Batteries (AA, C, & 9 volt)

Cat food- canned, dry & kitten food

Tall Kitchen Trash Bags (13 gallon)

33 Gallon Garbage Bags

Copy Paper (white or pastels)

Laundry assistant: With up to 70 surgeries per day, C-SNIP generates a lot of laundry! We need volunteers willing to do load the washing machines & dryers and fold the clean laundry.

7500 watt, propane-fueled portable generator for emergency use during power

Consider C-SNIP as you make your estate plans. Your planned gift will help ensure that our services are sustained into the future for those pet owners in need. Check with your financial planner and/or attorney for the estate gift option that works best for you.

For more information about a legacy gift to C-SNIP, contact our Executive Director, Sharon, at 616-219-1074. If you’ve already included in C-SNIP in your estate plans, please complete this form and return it to C-SNIP via email or US mail so we can add you to our Legacy Society giving circle.

C-SNIP
1675 Viewpond Dr
Kentwood, MI 49508

Do you sew or knit? Thanks to our handy volunteers, C-SNIP provides a home-made cat toy to each cat that comes for a spay/neuter surgery. We provide the instructions/pattern if you provide the talent.

C-SNIP uses 911 Microchips. Microchipping offers pet owners the only truly permanent method of identifying your pet and linking the animal back to you, the owner. If you want to improve your pet’s chances of getting home in a lost pet emergency – microchipping is your best option. Animal microchips are about the size of a grain of rice and are typically implanted just beneath the skin between the shoulder blades by a veterinarian or a trained member of an animal welfare organization. You will need to register the microchip online with your contact information and keep it updated.

Reminder calls: Call clients to remind them of their pet’s appointment.

Prepare medical packets: Assemble materials into packets for the next day’s medical appointments.

English/Spanish translation: Assist staff with translation when contacting Spanish-speaking clients. Translation can also include translating written materials from English into Spanish.

Check-in greeters: Help staff greet clients during the morning check-in period between 8am-9am.

We now take online appointment requests. Please read the instructions carefully when requesting your appointment. Appointments are available Monday through Thursday each week. Because of limitations on the number and size of kennels available on any given day, your preferred appointment date may not be available. The response time for online requests can be 2-3 business days. If your appointment is accepted, you will receive an email confirmation of availability. If we don't have availability on the day you request, we will call you to find an alternate date. To help us respond as quickly and efficiently as possible, please do not submit more than 1 online request per dog or cat.

Willing to go the extra step in assisting others with reduced cost spay/neuter? Donate an extra $20 or more to help C-SNIP offer reduced surgical rates. Your donation is tax-deductible.

If there are any questions or concerns directly related to the surgery during the recovery period, please call the office at (616) 455-8220 Option 2. For evenings and weekend recovery/incision advice ONLY call (616) 350-6966.

Photography

Graphic Design

Legal services

Printing

Parking lot grading or resurfacing

Organizational consulting (strategic planning, fundraising, etc.)

Rechecks are available at no charge Monday through Thursday during our surgery hours and by appointment. If you have questions or concerns after our regular hours, please contact C-SNIP at the number on the back of your spay/neuter certificate.

We've had some amazing donations from our community supporters! Here is a sneak peek of some of the items we will have available in our auction.

Make sure to keep your certificate of spaying or neutering with your pet’s record. You may need proof of spaying or neutering in the future and a fee will have to be paid if we need to reissue a certificate.

From time to time, C-SNIP needs help with indoor painting or interior clean-up or organizing efforts.

Event sponsorships support our Wags & Whiskers reception, debuting this Fall as our new annual fundraiser. Program sponsorships are also available to support our:

Since spay/neuter scars are difficult to detect once healed; a tattoo placed on the abdomen is a thin line that is a permanent indication that the surgery has been performed. This will prevent an unnecessary exploratory surgery in the future. The tattoo is not optional.

Schedulers are available Monday-Friday 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM. Please be prepared to provide basic medical information about your pet (age, accurate weight for dogs, medications, other surgeries or health concerns, pregnancies and/or litters, whether both testicles are visible for male pets). If you are asked to leave a message, please speak clearly and leave a window of time when it is best to reach you. Due to the high volume of phone calls we receive, it may be 2-3 business days before your message is returned. We appreciate your patience.

Treatments for fleas are available from C-SNIP before you leave if those conditions are noted in the SURGERY SUMMARY section.

A list of services performed today is also listed on your spay/neuter certificate.

If your pet received a rabies vaccination while with us the certificate of vaccination is included in our paperwork

If your pet had a microchip inserted today, the paperwork is included in your paperwork and you will need to register your microchip.

Topical monthly flea and tick prevention for dogs. Dose varies by animal weight. You can purchase one dose at check-in and additional doses at the counter during our office hours (applies to clients after 2016).

Don't miss your chance to take home a "spay-tacular" bottle of wine! Here's how it works:

Each bottle of wine is hidden in an unmarked bag. You'll only know if it's red or white. You pay to "pull" one bottle of wine that is yours to keep.

All bottles are valued at a minimum of $15 and some wines worth $50. Bottles will be limited to ensure the best selection. Be sure to visit the wine pull early before bottles run out.

Each pull is $20. Thank you to the many donors who contributed to Wags & Whiskers 1st Annual Wine Pull.

​​​​​​Microchipping offers pet owners the only truly permanent method of identifying your pet and linking the animal back to you, the owner. If you want to improve your pet’s chances of getting home in a lost pet emergency – microchipping is your best option. Animal microchips are about the size of a grain of rice and are typically implanted beneath the skin between the shoulder blades. You will need to register the microchip online with your contact information and keep it updated.

A feral cat is a cat who has either never had any contact with humans or her contact with humans has diminished over time. They are fearful of people and survive on their own outdoors. A feral cat is not likely to ever become a lap cat or enjoy living indoors. They may or may not have a caregiver.

An eartip is where the tip of the cat's left ear is removed in a straight line. Eartipping is an effective and universally accepted method to identify a spayed or neutered community cat. Eartipping is the preferred method to identify spayed or neutered and vaccinated community cats, because it is difficult to get close to them and therefore the identification must be visible from a distance.

​​​​​A habitat will support a population of a certain size. No matter how many animals are removed, if the resources remain, the population will eventually recover. With feral cats, once the cats have been spayed/neutered and returned to their colony, they will prevent new cats from moving into their territory. If cats are permanently relocated, as the resources remain, it is only a matter of time before new cats move into the area.

​​​​​​Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) is a non-lethal, three-step method to reduce the number of feral and stray cats both immediately and in the long term.

Step 1 – Trap: Feral or stray cats are trapped using a safe, humane, live trap.

Step 2 – Neuter: Trapped cats are spayed/neutered by a veterinarian.

Step 3 – Return: Spayed/Neutered cats are returned to their home.

Check-in

All animals check-in between 8:00am - 8:30am on the scheduled day of surgery. Our check-in process can take up to 20 minutes, so please allow additional time in your schedule. Because we check in up to 70 animals each morning, there is a line outside for check-in, so please dress for the weather.

Pick-up

Dogs must be picked up the same day at 4:00 PM. Cats go home the following morning at 7:30 AM. Our pick up times allow for the animals to recover from anesthesia and for our vet staff to perform final physical checks before they go home, so we are unable to release animals early. We provide aftercare instructions for all pet owners at pick up, so it is necessary for owners to be on time for pick up.

​​​​​​Feral cats MUST come in full-sized live traps for the safety of the cat and our staff. Feral cats are fearful and dangerous to handle. They are anesthetized and recovered in the trap to limit handling and stress on the animal.

​​​​​​It is safest for your animal and less messy for you if your pet's stomach is empty prior to surgery. Food in the stomach during surgery may be vomited up while the animal is under anesthesia. An unconscious animal can breathe this material into its lungs, causing a potentially fatal pneumonia. Also, improperly fasted animals have a much higher likelihood of vomiting after you get them home.

We want to make sure your pet has a successful surgery. In the two week waiting period, you will have time to ensure your pet is healthy and that the new adoption works for you. Additionally, you will better know your pet’s typical behavior so you can monitor their recovery after surgery.

C-SNIP’s mission is to prevent the overpopulation of dog and cats by providing quality, reduced cost, spay and neuter surgeries.

​​​​​​Due to space constraints, we have a limited number of kennels for large dogs to recover in. It is important for you to provide an accurate weight so we can schedule your dog on a day when we have a space adequate in size for recovery.

Pain medication is administered by the veterinarian at the clinic immediately following surgery and will last for the next 24 hours. Rarely do pets need additional pain medication. On occasion, C-SNIP will send additional pain medication home with your pet after spending the day with them. Additionally, you may request additional pain medication at any time throughout your pets recovery process.

The longer the spraying behavior goes on, the less likely that spay/neuter alone will completely stop it. Additional behavior training and medications are sometimes necessary. However, eliminating the sex hormones through spay/neuter is the first step to eliminating undesirable behavior.

​​​​​​Spaying and neutering eliminates the drive to find a mate, which helps make your pet more trainable and relaxed. However, training is always an essential part of addressing behavior issues.